13. (Therefore at this time the wise are struck dumbfor it is an evil time.)
14. Seek good and not evil,that you may live;Then truly the Lord, the God of hosts,will be with you as you claim.
15. Hate evil and love good,and let justice prevail at the gate;Then it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.
16. Therefore, thus says the Lord,the God of hosts, the Lord:In every square there shall be lamentation,and in every street they shall cry, “Oh, no!”They shall summon the farmers to wailand the professional mourners to lament.
17. And in every vineyard there shall be lamentationwhen I pass through your midst, says the Lord.
18. Woe to those who yearnfor the day of the Lord!What will the day of the Lord mean for you?It will be darkness, not light!
19. As if someone fled from a lionand a bear met him;Or as if on entering the househe rested his hand against the wall,and a snake bit it.
20. Truly, the day of the Lord will be darkness, not light,gloom without any brightness!
21. I hate, I despise your feasts,I take no pleasure in your solemnities.
22. Even though you bring me your burnt offerings and grain offeringsI will not accept them;Your stall-fed communion offerings,I will not look upon them.
23. Take away from meyour noisy songs;The melodies of your harps,I will not listen to them.
24. Rather let justice surge like waters,and righteousness like an unfailing stream.
25. Did you bring me sacrifices and grain offeringsfor forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?
26. Yet you will carry away Sukuth, your king,and Kaiwan, your star-image,your gods that you have made for yourselves,
27. As I exile you beyond Damascus,says the Lord,whose name is the God of hosts.